VATICAN CITY (AP) -- Pope Francis extolled the benefits of sharing wealth with the poor on Tuesday, warning that "unjust" social conditions like unemployment can lead to sin, financial ruin and even suicide.

The Jesuit pope has frequently railed about the excesses of capitalism and income disparity in a globalized world, and his message for Lent issued Tuesday echoed those same concerns

~snip~

"When power, luxury and money become idols, they take priority over the need for a fair distribution of wealth," he said in the short message. "Our consciences thus need to be converted to justice, equality, simplicity and sharing."

He said it's not enough to just make charitable offerings. ""Let us not forget that real poverty hurts: no self-denial is real without this dimension of penance. I distrust a charity that costs nothing and does not hurt," he wrote.

~snip~

Francis has riled some conservative Americans for his denunciation of capitalism and trickle-down economic theory, which is says is based on a survival of the fittest mentality "where the powerful feed upon the powerless" with no regard for ethics, the environment or even God.

"When power, luxury and money become idols, they take priority over the need for a fair distribution of wealth," he said in the short message. "Our consciences thus need to be converted to justice, equality, simplicity and sharing."

As an economist, the Pope makes a good theologian and moralist. Like everybody else, he should stick to what he knows. It’s not economics. We live in a world of scarce resources. Only one thing will end that condition of scarcity, and the Pope is very well equipped to speak on that subject. I doubt he sees the connection.

With a Pope who has a ‘social justice’ mentality, it is likely one and the same....considering all issues at the Vatican in the past several decades. I am surprised at his almost open support of Obama policies.

Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.